Doubletree and whiffletree.



No. 793,245; PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905. P. e. WINNBK. DOUBLETREE ANDWHIFFLETRBE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23. 1905.

ANDREW, a swim 00,. pmwo umoanwnms, WASNINGYON. a c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DOUBLETREE AND WHIFFLETREE;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed March 23, 1905. Serial No. 251,555-

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. WINNEK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dearborn, in the county of Platte and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Doubletrees andWhiflietrees; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myimprovementin doubletrees and swingletrees is designed to increase thedurability with the advantage of making them of cheaper grade of woodand much stronger than if made of hickory or oak, providing thereby anew article of manufacture for draft, and in the claims appended hereto1 will point out the improvement in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 shows in top view a doubletree embodying myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a front edge view. Fig. 3 is a cross-section ofthe same. Fig. 4 shows the steel reinforcing-bar with its alternate edgelaps. Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the hammer strap, showing thecenter bolt passing through the reinforcing-plate and its side lap, sothat the strain of the hammer-strap bolt is upon the middle plate andits side lap. Fig. 6 shows, enlarged, the end of the doubletree and theclevis and stay-chain eye, both secured to the reinforcing-plate andpulling upon it in opposite directions.

By my improvement the doubletree 1 can be made of comparatively cheapwood because of the provision whereby it is reinforced and made strong.For this purpose the bar has a groove 2 cut in its front edge throughoutits length about three inches deep and into which is driven a steelplate 3 about an eighth of an inch thick, having its outer edge out orslit to form transverse laps 4 at intervals and about one inch deep.These out parts 4 are bent over alternately and clenched to the oppositesides of the bar, strongly binding the grooved parts upon the plate andpreventing them from spreading, twisting, or buckling. I prefer toextend the cut lapping parts of this reinforcing-plate at each end andat the middle of the bar,so that the pins 5, which secure the clevis 6and the middle draw-bolt 7, by which the doubletree is secured to thetongue, will pass through the laps and through the wood and through thebody of the plate, thus giving the doubletree the greatest strength atthe points needed. The eyes 8 for the stay-chains are also rivetedthrough the bar and its reinforcing-plate at the rear edge of the bar,and this secures the plate within the groove at each end of the bar fromits rear edge and holds the wood firm to the steel bar. With the middledrawbolt passing through the bar, the embedded plate, and through itslap on the outer side of the doubletree a double reinforcement isprovided for the bar at the point where it is subjected to the greateststrain, while the clevis-pins passing through the bar, the embeddedplate, and through its external side lap provide double reinforcement ateach end of the bar, so that the draft strain is borne by the plate anddistributed through the bar.

It is important to note that the draft of the swingletrees upon theclevis-pins is transferred to the center bolt and its hammerstrap 9 andthat the eye-clips riveted to the bar and to its embedded plate makestrong hitches for stay-chains, which are connected to the axle, sothatthe clevis-pins draw upon the steel plate to the front. while thestaychains draw upon the plate to the rear, and therefore there is nodirect strain upon the wood. The reinforcing-plate allows the draft-pinsand bolt to be secured directly through the bar, and thereby dispensewith the usual end and center bolt binding-bands around the bar.

This construction provides a strong doubletree or whifiietree withoutthe lapping plateflanges; but their use renders each lap a brace to thegrooved wood parts and increases the strength of the bar. Thereinforcing-plate may be applied to the swingletrees in the same way.All the laps may be pinned to the wood and to the embedded plate, ifdesired.

I claim- 1. A doubletree for draft purposes, consist ing of wood havinga longitudinal groove, a reinforcing-plate embedded in said groove andhaving edge cuts forming laps alternately over the opposite side of thebar binding the grooved parts together, and end clevis connections, thedraw-pins for the clevis, and the middle draw-bolt passing each throughthe wood and through the embedded plate for the purpose stated.

2. A doubletree, consisting of wood having a longitudinal groove, areinforcing-plate embedded in said groove and having edge cuts forminglaps alternately over the opposite sides of the bar binding the groovedparts together, and end clevis connections, thedrawpins for the clevis,and the middle draw-bolt passing each through a lap of said plate,through the wood and through the embedded plate for the purpose stated.

3. A doubletree consisting of Wood having a longitudinal groove, areinforcing-plate embedded in said groove and having edge-forniing lapsalternately over the opposite sides of the bar binding the grooved partstogether, end clevis connections, and eyes for the staychains, the pinsfor the clevis connections, the middle draw-bolt and the pins for thestaychain eyes passing through the Wood and through the embedded plateand drawing upon the latter in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FREDERICK G. WINNEK.

Witnesses; 7

CH. P. HARRINGTON, T. (J. MAenRs.

